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Ringgold: Hang In There, Spring Is On Its Way

Buck Ringgold has been a sports reporter for the Times Record since November 2000. He covers high school sports, with an emphasis on the area's Oklahoma high schools. Buck previously was the sports editor of newspapers in Siloam Springs, Kilgore, Texas, and Ville Platte, La., and won several journalism awards at each stop. A native of Ashdown, Ark., Buck is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

Just when we thought we had seen the last of winter, yet another round of snow and ice hits a few days ago.

This may go down as the worst winter we’ve experienced. We’ve had snow and ice hit us for at least four consecutive months.

It also once again affected the local sporting scene. In December, football playoff games — including Poteau’s 4A State Championship Game — were pushed back a week because of inclement weather. Then in January and February, several basketball games in the area were postponed for the same reason.

Now this week, the state basketball tournaments in Arkansas were pushed back a couple of days because of the wrath of Winter Storm Titan (when did they start naming winter storms?).

It seems like it has been a never-ending season of winter weather. But hang on, there’s some relief in sight.

Baseball spring training is now in full force. There’s only barely more than three weeks remaining until Opening Day in Major League Baseball. Or, if you believe the words of former Texas Ranger turned Detroit Tiger Ian Kinsler, only barely more than three weeks until the Rangers begin their historic march of finishing the season 0-162.

College basketball regular season (which seems to go as long as the winter itself) is also nearing the end. Finally, we can see Selection Sunday on the horizon and people (especially Razorback fans) can stop obsessing each day about which teams will be the last four into the NCAA Tournament field and which teams will be the last four out.

The NBA and NHL regular seasons are starting to hit the final stretch. In just a few weeks, we’ll start finding out for sure who can hang with the Heat or the Thunder or the Pacers in the postseason. Or if the St. Louis Blues can finally hoist a Stanley Cup.

Talk has already started on the upcoming NFL Draft. However, instead of it being held in April, it will now take place in May. Great, just what we need, a few additional weeks of talking heads debating as to whether “Johnny Football” can cut it as a pro quarterback.

And then the outdoor sports, professional and amateur, will be prevalent in the coming weeks. Lakes and rivers will start thawing out, so that people can start fishing or swimming.

If you want more good news, Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend. Maybe the temperatures won’t really warm up for a while, but at least the days will be longer.

So hang in there, people of Arklahoma. The longer and warmer days of spring are on the horizon.

Just as long as we get spared from one more winter storm between now and then.